The Seventh: The Ruling on Bloodletting by Cupping, with Mention of the Evidence.

The Shaykh : The seventh is the emergence of blood through cupping. Cupping is well known; it is a surgical procedure, but a light one, through which corrupt blood is drawn out. It is one of the types of medicine mentioned by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), along with honey and cauterization. It is very beneficial, especially for those who are accustomed to it. If blood emerges from cupping, it invalidates the fast. What is the evidence? The evidence is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): The one who receives it breaks his fast because a large amount of blood has come out of him, which necessitates weakness and his body’s need for nourishment until his vitality and strength return to him. But why does the one who performs cupping break his fast? Some scholars said that this is a matter of pure worship, so we say that the one who performs cupping breaks his fast because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and it is not for us to ask what the cause is; Allah knows best. Other scholars said that the one who performs cupping breaks his fast because cupping in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) necessarily involved the cupper sucking the blood through the cup used for cupping. When he sucks the blood, some of it may reach his stomach without him realizing it, because he sucks with force until the cup is emptied of air, and it then sucks the blood. So perhaps some blood descends due to the suction, and he is unaware of it. For this reason, those who attribute the ruling to this cause say that if cupping is done through machines without sucking the cup, then the cupper does not break his fast. As for the one who receives cupping, he breaks his fast in all cases.